The wonderful, rural state of Maine has a number of excellent ski resorts that attract discerning skiers from across the region and as far away as Europe.

An advantage of Maine's major ski resorts is that their mountains are higher and farther north than others, and thus may have better, drier, less icy snow.

And the very distance of Maine ski resorts from major population centers means that there will be more dedicated skiers coming—and fewer overall skiers at that.

Most visitors drive to ski resorts, but if you're coming from a distance (say, beyond Connecticut), you may want to consider flying to Portland ME and renting a car or taking a bus from there to the resort.

Here are my favorite Maine ski resorts, in order of preference:

Sunday River Ski Resort
A big, good, elaborate ski resort spread over 8 mountain peaks north of Bethel ME, famous for being family-friendly. More...

Sugarloaf/USA Ski Resort
Well north of Sunday River Ski Resort, Sugarloaf's mountain is higher (second highest in Maine, after the mighty Katahdin), its snow is colder—and drier—and its crowds are smaller. More...

Saddleback Mountain
West over the mountains from Sugarloaf, Saddleback has some of the same advantages: good snow, beautiful scenery, short (or no) lift lines. More...

Shawnee Peak
Fun, friendly, accessible, unpretentious, Shawnee Peak makes a good family day-trip or overnight getaway. More...

Camden Snow Bowl
What a combination! One of Maine's prettiest, most cultural coastal towns, and all winer sports too! No great fun for both skiers and poets... not to mention skier-poets. More...

Mount Abram
Fine small ski area near Bethel, a worthy family alternative to bustling, much bigger Sunday River. More...

Titcomb Mountain
Perhaps the finest, friendliest beginner's mountain in Maine, fun for all but the most suicidal double-black-diamond fiends. More...

Black Mountain
A good, accessible ski and snowboard area near Rumford ME with something for everyone. More...

Eaton Mountain
Small local ski area near Skowhegan ME. More...

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